Signal-operating device for trains



(No Model.)

W. GLASGOW.

SIGNAL OPERATING DEVICE EOE IEAINS.

No. 399,193. Patented Mar. 5, 1889'.

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UNITED STnTns 4nTnnT @r cri \VILLIAM GLASGOW', OF ClllCAGO, 4llil'ilXOlh'n SlGNAL-OPERATING DEVlCE FOR TRAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,193, dated March 5, 1889.

Application led August 26, 1887. Serial No. 2&2986. (No modell To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWTLLIAM Guisooiv, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cool: and State oli lllinoisdlnited States ol' America, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Signal-Operating Device for Railway- Trains, of: which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of signais Vl'or railwayftrains in which a cord extend- 3 ing through a train of cars to the locomotivecab is employed to operate a mechanical signal-hell in such cab; and theprcsent im provements have for their obj ect, tirst, to provide an improved sectional signal-operating device permanent in each car and capable of convenient and easy coupling to form a cont-inw ous connnunication tothe locomotive-cab, and which in case of accidental or forcible separation Will not d raw through the carat an imminent risk of bodily injury to the passengers and breakage of the lamps or Windows, as would be the case Where the ordinary sigual cord is forcibly or accidentall7 parted; second, to provide a simple and effective coupling for the adjoining ends of my improved sectional signal-cord, with parts capable of ready and easy coupling'and uncoupling, and Which can be forcibly parted Without inj ury, as in cases where the train pulls apart. I attain such objects by the construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side view, partly sectionized,

of a portion of a train of ears, illustrating the application ol my presentinvention; Fig. 2, a detail sido view, partly sectionized, of my improved sectional signal-cord and one of its carrying drumsor sheaves; Fig. 3, a perspective view ot the same; Fig. 4, a sectional elevation of the coupling for the ends of myimproved sectional signal-cord, illustrating the operating or coupling mechanism of the same: Fig. 5, an elevation of the cap-plate that covers and forms a hearing for the operating parts of the coupling, and Fig. G an edge view of the coupling with the cap detached.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, A A represent carrier drums or sheaves arranged at each end of the car, secured either to the inner face nthe hood, il desired.

ii'ormed hv the flanges u u. o?, as shoivn in Figs. 2 and irl, and in these grooves Wound in opposite directions the section of oord B,

` which at its middle passes from one groove to the other througli an ori lice, o3, in the center flange, fl', so that each end or halt` of the cord will be in its respective groove. At its point of passage tln'ough the orifice di the cord l is lixedly secured io the u'liecl-rimhy an attaching-Milt, nl.

The cord li ma)r he continuous from the two sheaves at the opposite ends ol.' a rar. lt is, however, preferred to make it in seetions ot' wire cords ll to wind upon the sheaves, with a central connecting cord-section,(, extcmling thrrnlgh the car and uniting the inner ends ol the cord-sections l-l l together, as such an arrangement admits of the use of a thin metallic cord, as B, for Winding upon the sheaves and a heavier cord-section, C, through the car for pulling upon by the conductor. The cord-section C is secured to the ends of the cord-section B by a loop, c, as indicated in Figs. l and 2, and its length is such as to bring the couplings D, that unite the cordseetion ol each car, in vertical line with the car-buffers, so that when the cars are coupled together the couplings will loe between the hoods of the car. lt is preferable to form the cord-sections C of braided ivire, so that there will he no possibility of stretching or loss of motion throughout the Whole train.

"With the improved arrangement of sectional pull.cord having permanent connection to the carrying-sheaves, as above described, upon pulling upon one end of the cord B the action of the same will. he to unwind from its forward carrying-sheave until its point of attachment o?) o" in line with the direction of the pull, after which no additional movement can he attained, At the same time a corresponding length of the forward end ofthe cord B will he Wound upon the sheave, and in this manner the longitudinal movement of the pull-cord will he ei'iected through the different cars Yuntil the signalbell in the locomotive-cab is reached.

The carrying sheaves or drums A are joui IOO naled in a bracket-frame, E, screwed to the car end, as shown, and having guideforifices e c in its base, andpendent arm E', to guide and support the cord-section B between the ianges dja', and a2 of the sheaves. These guide-oriiices correspond with the ordinary cord-bushings of a railway-car.

F is a locking-pin hung from the bracketframe E by a chain and adapted to pass through a hole, e2, in such frame and through one ot' a series ot' circularly-arranged holes, a5, in the flanges oli' the sheaves A to lock the same. from turning. This locking of the sheave is employed only when such sheave constitutes the last one on the train, the purpose being to take up and hold the slack in the rear portion of the pull-cord.

The coupling by which the sectional pullcords of the different cars or coaches, as above described, are united together consists of a head, D, one end of which is provided with a recess, d, to receive the knotted end of the cord B, the other end being forked, as shown, to form, in connection With the pivoted latchbar G, a closed link or oriiiee for receiving' and holding a ring or companion coupling upon another section of cord 'B.

The latch-bar G, of a C shape, as shown, is pivoted at d to one of the forks D of the head D, its longer arm, g, being adapted to engage a spring catch or dog, H, the engagingface of which is notched to receive the end of the arm g and offer frietional resist-ance to the movement of said arm. The face 7l of the notch, in the direction in which the latcharm g moves in aforcible detachment of the coupling, as in the pulling apart of the train, is made abrupt, as shown, so as to otter suticient resistance to such movement of the arm, while the other face, 71.', of such notch is made on a gradual incline to admit of the ready movement of the latch-arm in that direction when a union of the coupling parts is made or unmade in the ordinary manner by hand, the position of the latch-bar G being indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. Theispring bar or dog H is guided in the head D by rivets passing through the elongated slots h2 h2, and it is forced downward to its engagement with the arm g o'l' the latch-bar by a double-acting spring, h3.

Owing to the latch bar G being' pivoted near the line of strain on the coupling, it Will require a heavy pull on the hooked point of the latch-bar to overcome the comparatively light engagement of the latch-arm g'ivith the spring-catch H and permit of the parting of the coupling parts. l

Having thus fully described my said invention, What I claim as new, and desire t0k secure byV Letters Patent, is-

I. A train-signal-operating mechanism comprisi'ngalocal permanent cord-section in each car, a coupling for uniting such sections together-between the cars, and a carrying-sheave at each end of the car, around Which the cordsection loops or Winds and is fiXedly attached, in manner substantially as herein described.

2. A train-signttl-operating mechanism coinprising a local permanent cord-section in each car, an automatic pull-apart coupling, essentially as herein described, for uniting such sections together bet-Ween the cars, and acarrying-shcave at each end of the car, around which the cord-section loops or Winds and is tixedly attached, in manner substantially as herein described.

The combination, with the sectional pullcord of a train-signal-operating mechanism, of a carrying-sheave, A, at each end of the car, having grooves formed by' flanges a a a?, the cord-section B, tltted in said grooves and passing from one groove to another through oriiice a3, the clamping-bolt d4, and supporting frame or bracket- E for said sheave, essentially as herein described.

4. The combination, ivith a sectional pullcord of atrain-signalope1ating mechanism, of a carrying-sheave, A, at each end of the car, having grooves formed by flanges a d a2, the cord-section B, fitted in said grooves and secured to the sheave by a clamping-bolt, d4, the supporting frame or bracket E, having orilice e?, and pin F, adapted to pass through said frame-orifice and one of a series of oriiices, a, in the rim of the sheave to lock said shea-ve at any desired adjustment, essentially as herein described.

5. A train-signaleoperating mechanism comprising a local permanent cord-section in each car, consisting of a central connecting-sec` tion, C, and end metallic sections, B, the outer ends ot' which are provided with couplings D, a carrying-sheave, A, at each end of the car, having receiving-grooves in its periphery, cord-section B, fitted in said grooves, and the clamping-bolt d, for permanently con neeting the cord-section B at its middle lo the shea-ve, essentially as herein described.

6. A train-signal-operatn g mechanism comprising a local independent cord-section permanently arranged in each car and an automatical pull-apart coupling for the adjacent ends of each pair of the same, consisting of a head, D, having a recess, d, for attachment to the ends of the cord-section B and forked ends D, the C-shaped latch-bar G, pivoted at d to one of the forks, and the spring dog or catch H, having' a notchedY engaging-face to engage and hold in a yielding manner the longer arm, g, of the latch-bar, essentially as herein described. Y. Y A A N g WILLIAM GLASGOW. Witnesses: u

LOUISE E. RALPH, RosW'ALn H. M oRToN.

IOC 

